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OUR VISION
shortart.co
To build a new kind of animation studio where emerging talent doesn’t just learn, but creates and earns from day one. We’re redefining the path into the industry by turning fresh graduates into confident, job ready artists through real projects and mentorship.
ABOUT US
shortart.co
is a startup animation studio based in Savannah, GA, founded in 2024 by SCAD alumna and international student Marianne Kumanayake. We’re more than a production house, we’re an incubator for early‑career animators. Our core mission is to help SCAD graduates bridge the gap between school and industry by working on real client projects, alongside experienced mentors and a diverse creative team. We reserve most of our spots for SCAD grads, so they can learn alongside peers who’ve walked the same path, while also collaborating with outside talent to build a broader network.
OUR VALUES
We believe the best work happens when artists from different backgrounds learn and create together. Every idea is welcome and every frame is a chance to tell a meaningful story. We actively support international students and underrepresented voices in animation. Growth comes from doing real work, not just theory, and we pair talent with industry professionals to ensure each artist develops both skills and confidence. We deliver honest, high‑quality work that respects both the craft and our clients.
OUR MANIFESTO
Animation is
emotion
in
motion
. We create to connect, to challenge, and to inspire. We believe every artist deserves a real shot, not just a portfolio piece, but a real credit. This is where education meets opportunity. This is shortart.co.
OUR STORY
shortart.co began with a simple question:
“How do we help new grads actually get hired?”
As a SCAD alum and international student, Marianne saw how hard it was to land that first industry role, even with strong skills. She watched talented peers graduate with great reels but no real credits, no network, and no clear next step. That experience is why she launched shortart.co as both a production studio and a creative incubator. Today, we produce animation for clients while running structured programs where fresh graduates work on real briefs and deadlines, receive feedback from working professionals, build a professional reel and credits, and gain the confidence to launch their careers. Everyone on our team gets real credits, not just “intern” titles, and we’re transparent about timelines, budgets, and creative direction from the start so clients and artists know exactly what to expect.
OUR COOL PEEPS
We’re a small but mighty team of animators (though we are all volunteers and we have full-time job), we are still designers, and storytellers many of us professional trained, all passionate about visual storytelling. We’re artists, builders, and mentors who believe that the next generation of animation should be more open, more diverse, and more accessible to everyone.
MARIANNE KUMANAYAKE
Founder & Creative Director
GA
JAMES SARACINO
Lead 2D/3D Environment Artist
LA
HARRISON ZACHER
Producer
GA
EMMA COOPER
Lead Character/Prop Artist
IN
AVA LEONE
Art Director
LA
REID ROBERTSON
Lead Storyboard Artist
AL
HOMEPAGE
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